Floor washing implement

ABSTRACT

A cloth floor washing implement wherein the cloth can be folded to enable squeeze-draining in the floor mop fashion namely with a strainer. The implement comprises a pair of arms ( 16   a;    16   b ) pivotally connected to a slider ( 22 ). The arms are guided by respective slots (20 c ) and (20 d ). Driving the slider ( 22 ) along broom stick ( 12 ) will cause the spreading-apart or folding back of the arms. The washing cloth, preferably made of microfiber, is releasably attached to the distal ends of the arms.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Generally, floor-washing implements fall into one of the following maincategories: floor wipers (“squeegees”) and mops made of cords.

Floor wipers comprise an elongated wiper fixed to the bottom end of abroomstick, with or without a rubber blade pointing downwards. A floorwashing cloth or rag is spread over the wiper. At first, the rag issoaked in water and used to wet the floor. Then, the rag is manuallysqueezed dry, and used for absorbing the water from the floor.

Sometimes the floor is first wiped by the wiper blade and then dried bythe rag.

In both cases, the rag needs to be separated from the broomstick forsoaking it in a bucket of water, or to squeeze it, as the case may be.

Working the cords mops is different (see FIG. 1). The bundle of cords Ais inseparable from the broomstick. Therefore, wetting the floor takesplace after the mop head has been soaked by dipping it in a water bucketB. Drying the floor needs first to squeeze or wring the bundle of cordsA. This is achieved by forcing the bundle against a meshed receptacle orstrainer C, usually seated over the rim of the bucket, above the waterlevel. By pressing and twisting the mop broomstick, water is squeezedout and the bundle of cords is ready for the floor drying process.

Each of the above described methods has its relative advantages anddrawbacks. The wiper washing quality and thoroughness are higher thanthose achieved by the cords mop method. However, the need to repeatedlydismount the rag and manually dipping or squeezing it is tiresome andunaesthetic.

On the other hand using the cords mop does not require the user to wether/his hands, but the results are comparatively poor in rate andquality of floor cleaning.

It is therefore the general object of the present invention to overcomethe drawbacks but gain the benefits of both methods.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a floor washingimplement that uses a rag as the floor washing element but does notdictate physical contact therewith.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a support forthe floor rag, which is collapsible from an extended position where itacts like the conventional wiper into a folded position whereby itbecomes small enough to be squeezed with the standard strainer bucket.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention there is provided a floor washing implementcomprising a broomstick; a slider device slideable over the broomstick;a pair of pivotal arms coupled to the broomstick and to the sliderdevice so that sliding the device in one direction causes the arms topivot one way from the other (“the floor washing position”) and slidingthe device in the other direction causes the arms to pivot one towardsthe other (“the wringing position”); and means for releasably attachinga piece of cloth to the free ends of the arms.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and additional constructional features and advantages of theinvention will be more readily understood in the light of the ensuingdescription of a preferred embodiment thereof, given by way of exampleonly, with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates the routine of squeezing a conventional cord mopusing a bucket-strainer;

FIG. 2 shows a floor working implement designed according to a preferredembodiment of the present invention in the operational position;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the implement of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the implement in the folded position;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line V-V of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional side view of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 7 illustrates the squeezing operation over a conventional strainer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The floor washing implement generally designated 10 in FIG. 2 comprisesa broomstick 12 to which a slider device designated 14 is moveablymounted as will be described below in greater detail.

Mentioned at this stage is the fact that sliding the device upwards willcause double-armed wings 16 a and 16 b to pivot one in the direction ofthe other to reach the folded position illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 7.

A piece of cloth 18, most preferably of the type known as “microfiber”(see below) is attached to the distal ends of the wings 16 a and 16 b,the cloth being provided for that purpose with sewn eye-lets 18 a and 18b. The wings are provided with restraining heads 16 c and 16 d.Obviously, any other fastening arrangement is applicable as long as thecloth 18 is easily placed and removed, at will.

The use of microfiber is highly recommended thanks to its well-knownproperties as high liquid absorption capacity and easy dry-squeezing,which are most favorable for the purpose of reducing the presentinvention into practice.

The sliding device 14 comprises an inner sleeve 20, which is fixedlymounted to the broomstick 12, preferably from below intermediatecone-shaped portion 20 a screwed on beveled portion 12 a. The sleeve 20can also be nailed to the broomstick or press-fitted thereto. The sleeve20 comprises a radially flanged portion 20 b having a pair of oppositelylocated slots 20 c and 20 d (see FIG. 5) through which the wings 16 aand 16 b are freely passed. These slots serve as guide cams for thespreading apart of wings as will be described below.

Slider member 22 is provided, freely slidable on the sleeve 20. Itfurther comprises a cap-shaped portion 22 a (see FIG. 5) with a pair ofears 22 b at one side and a pair of ears 22 c at the other side, locatedunderneath the cap 22 a. Respective holes are made for securing the bentends of the wings 16 a and 16 b respectively (see FIG. 6), serving aspivots for the wings.

There are formed two less than half-circulars distanced, cavities 20 eand 20 f at the external surface of the sleeve 20 along a commongeneratrix thereof. These cavities cooperate with spring urged ball 24,which is adapted to click thereinto in the upper (FIGS. 6 and 7) or thelower (FIGS. 2 and 3) positions of the sliding device as will beexplained below. The ball retaining component marked 24 a is shown as anattachment to the slider member 22, but other arrangements can beemployed as a matter of design.

The third component of the slider device 14 is a ram member 26, which isaffixed to the sleeve 20 at its bottom by a screw 28 (or can be directlynailed to the broomstick 12).

The operation of the floor washing implement is self-explanatory. In thespread-apart position of FIG. 2, where the slider member is clicked intothe lower position (ball 24 inserts cavity 20 f) and the cloth 18 isattached by eye-lets 18 a and 18 b to the respective ends of the wings16 a and 16 b.

After wetting the cloth, by simply dipping it in the bucket of water B.the user proceeds with the floor washing job.

For drying the floor, the slider 14 is clicked in the upper position(FIG. 6) whereby the cloth 18 becomes folded together into a bundlesmall enough to be inserted into the strait 30. The bundle is twisted towrap around the base 26 (FIG. 7). Draining of the water soaked in thecloth is effected by pressing against the bottom of the strait bucket,for which the ram member 26 is particularly useful. Obviously, there isno need to detach the cloth from the broomstick for the squeezingoperation.

While the invention has been illustrated by way of example by the aboveembodiment, it is apparent that further embodiments could be developedwithin the spirit and scope of the present invention. It should beunderstood that such modifications and adaptations are within the spiritand scope of the present invention, as set forth in the followingclaims.

1. A floor washing implement comprising: a broomstick; a slider deviceslideable over the broomstick; a pair of pivotal wings coupled to thebroomstick and to the slider device so that sliding the device in onedirection causes the wings to pivot one way from the other (“the floorwashing position”) and sliding the device in the other direction causesthe arms to pivot one towards the other (“the wringing position”); andmeans for releasably attaching a piece of cloth to the free ends of thearms.
 2. The floor washing implement as claimed in claim 1 furthercomprising means for locking the sliding device against the broomstickin any of the washing or the wringing positions.
 3. The floor washingimplement as claimed in claim 2 wherein the locking means comprise aball and socket coupling arrangement.
 4. The floor washing implement asclaimed in claim 3 wherein the cloth is made of microfiber.
 5. The floorwashing implement as claimed in claim 4 further comprising a ram membermounted to the broomstick at the bottom thereof.
 6. The floor washingimplement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the slider device comprises aninner sleeve affixed to the broomstick, the sleeve being formed with aradially flanged portion with openings through which the wings arefreely passed, and a slidable sleeve to which the wings are pivotallyconnected.
 7. The floor washing implement as claimed in claim 1 whereinthe piece of cloth is attached to the free ends of the wings by eye-letssewn to the cloth at two distanced locations thereof.
 8. A floor washingimplement comprising: a broomstick; an operator device slidable on thebroomstick; extendible means coupled to the broomstick and to theoperator device; and means for releasably attaching a piece of cloth tothe extendible means at two distanced locations of the piece of cloth,whereby sliding the operator device from one position to anotherposition along the broomstick causes the spreading and contracting ofthe piece of cloth by said extendible means, respectively.
 9. The floorwashing implement as claimed in claim 8 wherein the extendible meanscomprises a pair of wings pivotally connected to the operator device atone end thereof and passed through respective openings formed in aretaining member affixed to the broomstick said piece of cloth beingattached to the free ends of the wings.